Citizen Journalist Arrested For Videotaping Republican Meeting–With Permission (Pictures)

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Nydia Tisdale is a citizen journalist in Georgia. She attends and records public meetings and then uploads the videos to YouTube. She was invited to a Republican event for Governor Nathan Deal in Dawsonville, GA, arrived early to get a front row seat, mingled with visiting politicians and then began to record the speeches. Around 14 minutes into recording, she was abruptly confronted and told she needed to stop. When she protested that she had a right to film a public political event and had permission from one of the owners, she was dragged out and arrested.

The decision to confront Nydia was shortly after Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens mentioned her in a speech:

It’s not clear when her presence was no longer welcome. But it appears to begin when Insurance Commissioner Ralph Hudgens made a joke about Democratic Senate Candidate Michelle Nunn.

“I thought I was gonna absolutely puke listening to her,” Hudgens said.

He then looked at Tisdale’s camera and said, “I don’t know why you’re video taping.”

Jump below the fold for the surprising Republican reaction to the arrest and the full video.

Jim Galloway of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s take on the arrest:

That was as good as Tisdale’s Saturday would get. Within the hour, she would be screaming, bent double over a store counter in her black sun dress, with her arms twisted behind her and a deputy close on her haunches.

All because she had pointed her video camera at Republican candidates. Not a proud moment for a political party in need of female support.